Welcome from Kitty Price

Last month in my highlights I talked about some of the problems the Israelites faced after being released from slavery in Egypt.  A month or so later, there was another reading at evening prayer about the exodus.  

40 years in the wilderness - can you imagine that?  I've gone a bit stir crazy during 3 months of lockdown, and I have been the one getting out to do the shopping - though that is partly respite from the Price household!  40 years?!!  It doesn't bear thinking about, but it should.  I used to be a bit impatient with the Israelites because they finally got what they had prayed and longed for, yet when it came it wasn't exactly how they expected it to be.

I have to admit to finding the easing of lockdown far more stressful than going into lockdown.  The more nuanced and flexible approach unnerves me and whilst I know that I am being very careful, I have to trust that other people are being sensible and thoughtful about others.  This experience is another example of how I want to be in control.  Maybe this explains why it has taken me until last year to learn how to swim?  Taking a leap of faith seems to come more easily to some than others.  At the moment I haven't got that trust, but I hope and pray that I can find it inside of me.  

I am more understanding of the Israelites now, even more so than my highlights last month.  I am sure I would have preferred the familiar rigidity instead of the unknown freedom.  A shift in understanding shows that experience has helped me to see things from a different perspective.  And that is a good thing because it shows the active work of the Holy Spirit.

Kitty Price

Cathedral Reader

Our New Opening Hours

Portsmouth Cathedral is now open for private prayer every day between 11.00am and 2.00pm. All are welcome to visit to pray, reflect and light a candle. A Chaplain will be available for anyone who wishes to have a private conversation.

We are following national guidance to ensure everyone’s safety.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who have offered their time to enable us to open. You can find more information about what to expect when you visit on our website here.

Our online services are continuing as normal on Facebook (see below for details).

Chapter meeting – 10 June

Chapter reviewed the work being done to create a new Cathedral Strategy and Vision to carry us forward toward the centenary in 2027.  A final paper on the Strategy and Vision will be presented at its July meeting.  Chapter also reviewed the variety of services offered by the Cathedral, and approved a change to our future Sunday morning offering, with a new service at 9.30am. and our traditional Sung Eucharist at 11.00am.    An update on preparations for reopening the Cathedral was provided. 

The financial performance of the Cathedral continues to be monitored by Chapter and it was warmly noted that planned giving through direct debit/standing order as well as one-off donations have both increased (If you would like to speak to someone about the planned giving scheme or other ways to financially support the Cathedral please see the “Support Portsmouth Cathedral" section below). 

The next scheduled meeting of Chapter is 15 July.

A message from the Dean:

“I am sure that for many the standout item in the Chapter summary above will be about a change to our patterns of Sunday worship.   While this cannot of course come into immediate effect, given that public worship is still suspended, it may be that a little more background would be useful. 

This period of lockdown, in challenging us to find new ways of doing things, has enabled us to reach people previously unknown to us, and has given an opportunity to revisit the ways we engage with those we serve in our parish and diocese.  As we pray and plan for our emergence from the pandemic, we have been inspired both to reaffirm our commitment to the beauty and transcendence of the English choral tradition, and also to try something new, which we hope will draw in young families and others who don’t yet attend the Cathedral’s worship.  That is why Chapter has approved the change mentioned above.  

I’m grateful to Canon Kathryn for initiating the idea, and to others who contributed to the discussion, including Canon Jo and our Director of Music David Price.  This is an exciting new venture that we pray in due time (September at the earliest) will be richly blessed.    

My intention is to write at greater length about the return to public worship in the Cathedral, but I cannot do that until further national announcements and guidance are forthcoming.   We will of course keep you regularly updated, and look forward with eager longing for the time when we can all return to our beautiful building for worship.”

Supporting Portsmouth Cathedral

Over past weeks we have been sharing some of the profound financial challenges that Portsmouth Cathedral faces. The Cathedral team has done everything possible to reduce expenditure and Chapter has approved revised budgets for 2020 and 2021 which see deep cuts of almost 40%. Even with such drastic measures, we will be unable to achieve balanced budgets and to continue our ministry in the way we aspire to without the support of our congregation.

We know many people are facing financially challenging circumstances. If you are able to, please consider making a new or increased regular or one-off donation to support our work. Every gift is hugely valued and very gratefully received. If you are a UK taxpayer, signing up for Gift Aid will enable us to claim an additional 25% of your donation from HMRC.

Ways to make a regular donation:

• By Direct Debit – via the Parish Giving Scheme by calling 0333 002 1271. Lines are open Monday-Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm. You will need your bank details ready as well as this reference information: Church name: Portsmouth Cathedral, Parish Giving Scheme parish code: 290629001

• By Standing Order – please contact sophie.henstridge-brown@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk for our bank details and reference number

Ways to make a one-off donation:

• By bank transfer – please contact sophie.henstridge-brown@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk for our bank details

• By cheque – payable to ‘Portsmouth Cathedral Chapter’ and sent to the Cathedral Offices

• Online here. Please note that online donations incur a fee from the online provider, if you wish us to receive all of your donation and Gift Aid, please use bank transfer or cheque.

Thank you to everyone who has generously increased their giving recently, we are hugely grateful.

If you would like to talk about how your gift can make a difference, please contact our Head of Fundraising Sophie Henstridge-Brown on sophie.henstrdge-brown@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk.

In the notices this week:

• Patronal Festival at Shedfield

• Cathedral Safeguarding Meeting - 23 June

• Farewell to the Revd Dr Ruth Tuschling, Diocesan Spirituality Advisor

• Welcoming Catherine Edenborough, Cathedral Curate

• Online Cathedral Quiz Winners

• Portsmouth Cathedral Pilgrimage in a Day

• Weekly reflection from the Portsmouth Cathedral Ministry Team

• Online Resources

• Friends of the Cathedral - Important news about forthcoming events

• Online worship including the order of service for Sunday 21 June

Regular details of prayers and intercessions, weekly music choice and ways to contact the Cathedral.

Patronal Festival at Shedfield

On Sunday the Dean was due to join members of the congregation of St John the Baptist, Shedfield, including newly appointed Lay Canon Adrian Jordan who is one of the churchwardens, for their Patronal Festival.  With current restrictions in place, the Dean has recorded a sermon for the online service arranged by the Vicar, the Revd Jane Isaac, which can be watched through www.stjohnthebaptistshedfield.org.uk. 

Cathedral Safeguarding Meeting – 23 June

The regular meeting on safeguarding will take place this Tuesday.

Farewell to the Revd Dr Ruth Tuschling

Dr Ruth Tuschling, who has been the Diocesan Spirituality Adviser, Cathedral Honorary Chaplain and valued member of the Ministry Team since 2012, leaves the diocese at the end of this month.  Donations towards a leaving gift can be made through the Cathedral Offices by cheque or BACS by 22 June, please contact accounts@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk for details.

Welcoming Catherine Edenborough, Cathedral Curate

We are very much looking forward to welcoming our new Cathedral curate, Catherine Edenborough, who starts her ministry with us on 4 July.  Because of the current restrictions around the Coronavirus, ordinations cannot take place at the moment.  Catherine and her fellow 2020 curates will instead be licensed remotely by the Bishop on 4 July as lay workers, to enable them to begin their curacies and to minister in whatever way is possible at the time.  Future plans are of course tentative at the moment, but the Bishop hopes to hold the Deacons’ Ordination Service in the Cathedral on the Eve of Advent, 28 November, at 11.00am.  Catherine introduces herself here.  Please hold her in your prayers as she prepares to begin her licenced ministry in these challenging times.

Canon Kathryn Percival

Online Cathedral Quiz Winners

The second online Cathedral Quiz took place on Thursday 18 June. It was a closely run race, and congratulations to the winners Ann and Richard Wilson, Clare, Anthony and Joshua Cane and James and Kathryn Percival.

Portsmouth Cathedral Pilgrimage in a Day

The British Pilgrimage Trust has just released details of a walking route that makes up a Pilgrimage in a Day to Portsmouth Cathedral. More information is available on their website here.

Weekly reflection from the Portsmouth Cathedral Ministry Team

For the past few weeks we have been sharing a short reflection from members of the Ministry Team. You can see all of the previous videos on our YouTube channel here.

Online Resources

A reminder that resources for prayer, worship, and family activities at home can be found on our website here

Friends of the Cathedral - Important news about forthcoming events

In view of the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the Friends’ Annual General Meeting planned for Sunday 5 July is postponed until the autumn on a date to be announced in due course. The pilgrimage trip to Canterbury Cathedral linked to Becket 2020 planned for Tuesday 7 July has been cancelled. Those who had booked have been contacted. Please see the Friends Yearbook 2020 to be dispatched in July for future events.  If you would like to know more about membership please contact the Friends Office.

Music

This miniature work for organ by Michael Praetorius utilises the Portsmouth organ's unusual stop device, a Nachtigall - a small organ pipe that speaks into a tiny vat of oil, and this effect mimics the sound of birdsong. https://youtu.be/sgtP88Jw_0U

Online worship

Monday-Saturday                            

8.15am Morning Prayer                    
5.30pm Evening Prayer              
8.30pm Compline

Plus Toddler Group on Wednesdays at 2.00pm via Facebook

Sunday

9.00am Holy Communion, followed by online coffee at 10.00am
5.30pm Evening Prayer
8.30pm Compline

How to join the services

You do not need to be a member of Facebook to join the services. Please use this link. when the service is about to begin. You will see a prompt asking you to join Facebook, just click ‘not now’. Orders of service for our Sunday Eucharist’s, Compline, and special services, can be found on the Resources Section of our website here

Order of Service for Sunday 21 June

The order of service for Holy Communion on Sunday 21 June can be found here.

How to join the online Sunday Coffee Hour

Coffee is hosted on Zoom. In order to maintain security details will be sent with our emailed notices.

Prayers and Intercessions

Cathedral Prayers

All those affected by COVID-19

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Christopher, Peter, Stephen, Paul, Marinus, Chris, Colin, Philippa, Terry, Sally, David, John, Bob, Derek, Nigel, Trevor, Emrys, Reuben, Andrew, Jonathan, Melissa, Mary, Laurence, Clare, Anne, Roger and all those in need.

All those who have died: Jackie Taylor and Alma Marrow RIP.

Requesting an addition to the prayer list

To add someone to the prayer list, please email info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Getting in touch

We know that this is a lonely and anxious time for many people. Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!

By phone:                                                                                                                                      

The Dean: 023 9282 4400                             

Canon Kathryn Percival: 023 9289 2967

Canon Jo Spreadbury: 023 9275 2335

Messages can also be left on the cathedral phone system 023 9282 3300 and will be responded to as necessary.     

By email:

The Dean Anthony.Cane@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Canon Kathryn Percival Kathryn.Percival@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Canon Jo Spreadbury Jo.Spreadbury@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

For pastoral matters pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

General matters info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk